Embodiments of the invention relate generally to electrodes, and particularly to, methods of fabricating electrodes having determined morphologies.
Various devices using electrodes are known and are in use. As one example, heat transfer devices such as thermotunneling devices employed in heating/cooling systems include electrodes to facilitate tunneling of electrons across such electrodes. Typically, the electrodes are coupled to objects that are desired to be heated/cooled. In operation, a flow of current is provided through electrodes, which are separated by a tunneling gap to facilitate the tunneling of electrons across the tunneling gap. As a result of this tunneling flow of electrons, the thermotunneling device facilitates heat transfer between the objects. To operate a thermotunneling device with a small tunneling gap, it is desirable to provide electrodes having smooth surfaces. Further, certain devices require electrodes having other determined morphologies.
Typically, electrodes used in such devices include thick layers of metals. Unfortunately, it is difficult to fabricate electrodes having determined morphologies. For example, it is difficult to fabricate smooth electrodes with thick metal layers as conventional deposition techniques used for depositing the metal layers increase surface roughness of an underlying substrate. Furthermore, forming electrical feedthroughs using conventional techniques also adds to the surface roughness of the electrodes. In addition, conventional techniques for forming smooth electrodes require relatively expensive and time-consuming processes such as CMP (chemical mechanical polishing).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an electrode having a determined morphology that can be employed for a variety of applications. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide methods to fabricate such electrode.